They don’t call this the ‘deserted beaches hike’ for nothing. The uplands and coasts of remote Sai Kung have always been sparsely populated and, since the 1970s, many local villagers have left their homes here in favour of life in the big city. This tour offers a unique insight into the houses, lands and beaches that these communities left behind and although it’s just 20 kilometres from Kowloon, it will make you feel a world away. Wander along the coastlines of Sai Kung East Country Park, where lush tropical vegetation and forested ridges are merely the warm-up show to spectacular mountain and coastal sea views of white sandy beaches. Bringing the attention back to the foreground, you’ll then pass fascinating old Hakka villages as you hike along a network of paths. The local hakka farmers once nurtured woodlands for feng shui purposes here. These provide a great breeding environment for native species.